Improvement in skates



u. EDWARDS.

Skates.

Paten ted May 18, 1875.

fllesi fizz/minor OJHOTO UTH.395 4-1 PARK PLACE,N-Y-

THE GRAPHIC UNITED STATES PATENT OFrIon OLIVER EDWARDS, OF FLORENCE,MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,307, dated May18,1875; application filed February 8, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER EDWARDS, of Florence, in the county ofHampshire, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certainImprovements in Skates, of which the following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to produce a skate that is easy on thefoot of the skater, can be perfectly secured to the boot or shoe, and atthe same time be durable and light; and it consists in the constructionof the parts whereby the above object is attained, as will be fullyhereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of the skate; Fig. 2, alongitudinal section of same; Fig. 3, a cross-section on line y y; Fig.4, a top view of heel-plate and fastenings; and Fig. 5 is a verticalsection on line z z.

A represents the runner of the skate, forming the front riser A and thetoe-plate support a, on its forward end, and the rear riser A andheel-plate support a at the rear end. B is the toe-plate, and is madefast upon the part a of the runner A by the rivets a passing through theplate and its support a, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and when rivetedsecures the plate surely to the support a. B is the heel-plate, rivetedfast to its support a by rivets a a, the same as the toeplate. At itsrear part a stud, b, rises vertically to give support to aclamping-screw. Longitudinally and centrally in the top of theheel-plate B is a parallel-sided depression, to receive an adjustableclamp to take hold of the front part of the boot or shoe heel. G is anadjustable clamp-plate, fitting and made adjustable in the depression I)of heel-plate B, is bent upward at right angles to its body at itsforward end, terminating in another rightangled bend to the rear to formthe sharp teeth 0, that take into the forward part of the boot-heel, hasa slot, 0, centrally in a part of its length, in which is theholdingscrew 0, to hold it to the proper adjustment to receive theboot-heel. D is a circular and upright clamp-plate, concave on itsforward side, and has sharp points or roughened surfaces d, to take into the back part of the bootheel and prevent any slipping of the heelwhen clamped. at is a clamping-screwpassing through the stud b of plateB, which forms the nut for screw 11, and is secured to clam ping-plateD, so as to freely turn therein and cause said plate to move back andforth by turning the screw 61 in the screw nut or stud I). By firstforcing the clamp-plate D back to the stud, then adjusting theclampplate (1 to the size of the boot-heel, and putting the heel betweenthe two parts 0 and D, and turning the clamping screw to force theclamping-plate D hard against the heel, it will be securely fixedtherein, and will not release its hold until the screw 61 is turned backto force the clamp D from the heel. E E are adjustable bent clamps orjaws for holding the toe of the boot upon the toe-plate of the skate.They pass under the toe-plate, and each has a slot, 6, therein toreceive a clamping or holding screw, 6, so that when the clamps are atthe right distance apart, the nuts 6 are turned to bear hard upon theclamps and secure them to the toe-plate, so that there will be nolateral movement of the boot or shoe between the jaws E. As seen in Fig.3, these clamps E are curved in their upward projection to the slotf,near their upper ends, when they bendat right angles out in oppositedirections, and receive in slot f the holding-strap F, which secures thefoot to the skate by the buckle f, and by such construction preventsundue pressure of the strap upon the foot. G is a pad to bear upon thefoot and shield the foot from the pressure of strap F, which passesthrough the pad in openings or eyelets near each end of the pad, andthen over it, leaving only the pad to bear upon the top of the foot.This gives ease to the foot under the strap, and prevents the strap frombinding the action of the foot in skating, and, in conjunction with theside clamps, makes the skate secure upon the foot of the skater.

It will be observed that the runner of the skate is narrow, and, beingmade of the best metal, will yield some under the weight of the skater,and, being continued to form the supports of the toe and heel plates,and the toe-plate support at extending back and tapered at its rear end,will spring or yield considerably under the weight of the skater, whichcarries the incumbent weight or pressure forward over the riser at thefront end of the runner, and backward the same to the rear end, makingthe entire runner a'spring, or yielding to the weight of the skater whenthe greatest weight or force is put upon it, thus giving ease to theforcible strides or motions of the skater, not found in a non-yieldin gskate, and hence a strong skate of light materials.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationof the stationary heelplate B, having the depression I) and the verticalstud b, with the clamp-plate D and screw d, substantially as described.I

2. The combination of the stationary heelplate B, having depression band stud b, clamp-plate D, and screw (1, with the adjustable jaw G,substantially as described.

3. The adjustable clamps E, when curved to receive the sole of the boot,and bent outward at the slot f to receive the strap F, substantially asand for the purpose described.

OLIVER EDWARDS. Witnesses: A. L. Soon,

0. A. SHERMAN.

